The 2008 Kleban Awards were presented June 4 in a private ceremony held at ASCAP in Lincoln Plaza.

John Weidman served as Master of Ceremonies
Photo by H.E. Yhoman

The winner of this year's selection for "most promising musical theatre lyricist," announced May 1, is David Lindsay-Abaire. A Pulitzer Prize winner for his drama Rabbit Hole, Lindsay-Abaire is currently at work on the forthcoming Shrek the Musical with Jeanine Tesori. This project marks his first attempt at penning musical theatre lyrics. Other notable writing credits include Kimberly Akimbo, Fuddy Meers and Wonder of the World. The award for most promising librettist was a tie between Laura Harrington and co-librettists Bill Solly and Donald Ward.

A playwriting teacher at such institutions as M.I.T, Tufts, Harvard and Wellesley, Harrington's body of work includes Alice Unwrapped (music and Lyrics by Jenny Giering), Crossing Brooklyn (music by Jenny Giering), Resurrection (music by Tod Machover) and N (Bonaparte).

The writing team of Bill Solly and Donald Ward have co-authored the books for eight musicals, including The Great American Backstage Musical, Off-Broadway's Boy Meets Boy, Starring in Alphabetical Order, 100 Miles from Nowhere, It Must be Magic and an adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's The Snow Queen.

The event, hosted by Dramatists Guild president John Weidman, featured appearances by Christopher Sieber (performing a song from Shrek the Musical), and Bobby Steggert and Sarah Jane Everman (teaming up for a duet from Solly & Ward's Sweet William).